Top 100 Songs of the Year

The more lists we run, the more the numbers seem made up, especially considering we run about 30 songs a week. So, we just organized a list of our favorite 100 songs, all being equal, no numbers involved. But, for those of you who want a listening experience, we created a playlist with all the available tracks Also, we each picked two songs to highlight for you, so you know where we’re coming from. If you’re looking to find out which release a particular song comes from, we put those in bold following each song. Just jam this list today. 2 of Nicole’s Top Tracks

1. Your Love Is Killing Me – Sharon Van Etten — This song is, plainly put, incredible in every way. Sharon’s perfect vocals, the gut wrenching lyrics, and the steady build of instrumentation through the track’s duration adds together in the perfect combination. Even at a little over six minutes, I am always ready to leave it on repeat; the little nuances in the song make it a masterpiece and I’d be lying if I said I haven’t tried to belt along with this track on a countless number of occasions.

2.Talking Backwards – Real Estate — You want a textbook example of jangly indie rock that oozes sunshine out of its every note and seems to float on air? Well, look no further than this number. Real Estate are the masters of this genre, but they’ve really outdone themselves with this one. There’s nothing wrong with this track, and nothing wrong with spinning it over and over again.

2 of RayRay’s Top Tracks

1. Andrew St. James – Tapes — St. James was one of my favorite and most exciting finds of the year. This track is a mix of Dylan guitars and Tallest Man on Earth vocals blended together to create a truly memorable songwriter tune. This is a timeless effort that will surely stand the test of time. Truly a breathtaking piece of work.

2. Colourmusic – Dreamgirl ’82 — THE BEAT DROPS! Seriously, hang around for the entire song to witness one of the sickest and loudest tempo changes I can remember from the last several years. This one came out towards the beginning of the year so I almost forgot about it, but then I played it again today and immediately pumped my fist into the air. Anyone looking for something a little heavy with several doses of psych rock need look no further than this unique number. You won’t hear any other band in the world making sounds like this.

2 of BGray’s Top Tracks

1. The Juan Maclean – A Simple Plan — This is my jam. Nancy is back with the vocal you love and that DFA sound we all crave. Hit play as it starts plenty good, but builds and has moment after moment of mind-blown dance party. It is tight electro goodness and you know you love it.

2. Beacon – L1 — Top of mind, brand new, can’t get it outta my head, you need to listen to this song and this EP. It lands in a week and it vaulted quickly to being a favorite. Haunting, lovely vocal is where Beacon is stepping up and the layers are there to make it all cohesive in it’s final product. Sure, I may revise my history later, but if this song sticks #toldyouso.

2 of Nathan.Lankford’s Top Tracks

1. The Shivas – You Make Me Wanna Die — This song hit in the Spring, and it’s still in rotation on my stereo to this very day. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t stop listening to it. It’s got swagger and hipness, but still enough pop sensibility that keeps you coming back time and time again. A song of the hardships that come with infatuation. If you haven’t played this song yet…jump right to it.

2. Greg Ashley – Awkward Affections — Greg’s record is in my personal Top 5 of 2014, and this song is one of the main reasons why it made it up there. It’s a troubadour’s ballad, with the repeated lines of “you make me feel like shit.” It’s heartfelt and just interesting enough to pull at your emotional heartstrings, leading me to continuously press play on this song.

Allo Darlin – Bright Eyes – We Come From the Same Place

Alvvays – Archie, Marry Me – Alvvays

Andre Obin – Aurora – Aurora

Andrew St. James – Tapes – The Shakes

Angel Olsen – Windows – Burn Your Fire For No Witness

Ariel Pink – Lipstick – Pom Pom

Arp – Pulsars e Quasars – Pulsars e Quasars EP

Avi Buffalo – So What – At Best Cuckoo

Beacon – L1 – L1 EP

BLXPLTN – Start Fires – Black Cop Down

Cape Lion – Brother – Brother

Carnival Youth – Never Have Enough – Never Have Enough

Chad VanGaalen – Monster – Shrink Dust

Cherry Glazer – Had Ten Dollaz – Had Ten Dollaz 7″

Cloud Nothings – Psychic Trauma – Here and Nowhere Else

Coathangers – Derek’s Song – Suck My Shirt

Colourmusic – Dreamgirl ‘82 – May You Marry Rich

Comet Gain – Behind The House She Lived In – Paperback Ghosts

Connections – Cruise Control – Into Sixes

Criminal Hygiene – Withdrawn – Withdrawn EP

Darren Hayman and Emma Kupa – Boy, Look at What You Can’t Have Now – Boy, Look at What You Can’t Have Now

De Lux – Better at Making Time –Voyage

Dead Stars – Someone Else – Slumber

Desert Stars – Hamster Wheel – Hamster Wheel

Dream Boys – Positive Argument – Positive Arugment 7″

Dum Dum Girls – Rimbaud Eyes – Too True

Dylan Shearer – Meadow Mines (fort polio) – Garagearray

East India Youth – Looking for Someone – Total Strife Forever

Eternal Summers – Never Enough – The Drop Beneath

Father John Misty – Bored in the USA –I Love You, Honeybear

Fear of Men – Descent – Loom

Flesh Lights – Just About Due – Free Yourself

Flowers – Joanna – Do What You Want To, It’s What You Should Do

Fuck Art Let’s Dance – We’re Manicals – Atlas

Germ House – A Matter of Call – Showing Symptoms

Geoffery O’Connor – Jacqueline – Fan Fiction Mastered

Ghost of Jack Nance – Summerday – My Heart Sings EP

Gold Bears – Yeah, Tonight – Dalliance

Greg Ashley – Awkward Affections –Another Generation of Slaves

Hamilton Leithauser – Alexandra – Black Hours

Hospitality – Last Words – Trouble

Jenny Lewis – Just One Of The Guys – The Voyager

Jesse Marchant – Every Eye Open – Jesse Marchant S/T

Kevin Morby – Drowning – Still Life

La Sera – Losing To the Dark – Hour of the Dawn

Lunchbox – Give a Little Love – Give a Little Love

Leon Bridges – Coming Home – Coming Home

Literature – New Jacket – Chorus

Mac Demarco – Chamber of Reflection – Salad Days

Mansions on The Moon – Don’t Tell – Mansions on the Moon

Natas Loves You – Skip Stones – The Eighth Continent

Ought – Today More Than Any Other Day – More Than Any Other Day

Papercuts – Still Knocking at the Door – Life Among The Savages

Pale Lights – Another Broken Heart –Before There Were Pictures

Phantogram – Fall in Love – Voices

Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Simple and Sure –Days of Abandon

Protomartyr – Scum, Rise! –Under Color of Official Right

Purling Hiss – Sundance Saloon Boogie –Weirdon

Ramesh – Youth Trip – The King

Real Estate – Talking Backwards – Atlas

Rivergazer – Lonely –Random Nostalgia

Sea Pinks – Dream Happening – Dreaming Tracks

Sharon Van Etten – Your Love Is Killing Me – Are We There

She Keeps Bees – Breezy – Eight Houses

Shivery Shakes – Swimming – Three Waves and a Shake

Shy Boys – Keeps Me on My Toes – Keeps Me on My Toes

Slow Magic – Waited 4 U – How to Run Away

Snowmine – Rome – Dialects

So Cow – Barry Richardson – The Long Con

Spoon – They Want My Soul –They Want My Soul

St. Vincent – Digital Witness – St. Vincent

Strange Names – Ricochet – Common Attraction

Sun Kil Moon – Carissa – Benji

Tennis – Never Work For Free – Ritual in Repeat

Terry Malts – Grumpiest Old Men – Insides EP

The Antlers – Parade – Familiars

The Dead Space – Behind the Wall – Faker

The Glass – Pheremone – At Swim Two Birds

The Juan Maclean – A Simple Design – In a Dream

The Men – Pearly Gates – Tomorrow’s Hits

The New Pornographers – War on the East Coast – Brill Bruisers

The Notwist – Close to the Glass – Close to the Glass

The Rentals – 1000 Seasons – Lost in Alphaville

The Shivas – You Make Me Wanna Die – You Make Me Wanna Die

The War on Drugs – Red Eyes – Lost in the Dream

Twerps – Back to You – Range Anxiety

Twilight Sad – Last January – Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave